TALX - TALX is one of the most morphed technologies around. It started many years ago as an IVR (interactive voice recognition) software vendor (i.e., "Press 2 to talk to a representative"). Over the years, their product line has gone from being an enabler of annual HR benefits enrollment solutions to a full-fledged content and technology provider for HR organizations. A couple of years ago, TALX was acquired by information broker Equifax; however, the companies retain their individual brands.

In a nutshell, TALX provides the information businesses need to do Recruiting, HR and Payroll well. They do employment verifications, I-9 management, W-2 management, etc.

When I spoke with them, they were announcing their new analytics capability - a solution made possible by their recent acquisition of eThority. The Workforce Analytics products are currently called "Suite 16". This represents the 16 areas where the analytics solution provides insights into the workforce (e.g., termination cause analysis). They are also pre-announcing new benchmarks (e.g., tax credit eligibility by industry/region) and predictive analytics (e.g., turnover risk) that should appear in future releases.

TALX was also promoting their Garnishment Service. Garnishment deductions affect a larger number of employees than many executives may realize. Garnishments are time-consuming, require constant management and would rarely be described as a ‘fun' part of any HR professional's time. Many HR products support garnishment deductions but fewer have a full blown system to manage them.